


Tubes And Wires And Careful Notes

by zzegnas



Series: The Golden Age of Wireless [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-09
Updated: 2015-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-05 15:42:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5380799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zzegnas/pseuds/zzegnas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>“Zayn, you are displaying a slightly elevated percentage level of hostility. Your stress and anxiety levels are competing with each other as well. I believe your new position as head stock boy is a contributing factor.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“Thanks, but I didn’t need the physical.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“You seem exasperated,” Harry points out. “Would you like to hear a joke?”</em>
</p>
<p>—<br/>Zayn notices a glitch in Harry's programming. Niall pretends it doesn't exist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tubes And Wires And Careful Notes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hipstaplease](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hipstaplease/gifts).



> *taps mic* Does anyone still read ziall? :(
> 
> Unearthed this from the bowels of my drafts several days ago; it was about 90% finished, so I figured I'd clean it up a little bit, make it nice and neat, etc. Also, I am in no way an actual robotics expert, and Harry's repair process is **fictional**.
> 
> Oh and _yes_ , you do need to read [the first story](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2747360) to understand the nuances of this sequel!
> 
> Title from '[She Blinded Me With Science](https://youtu.be/nMWGXt979yg)' by Thomas Dolby (it's a jam, okay!!) | [tumblr](http://jenkothat.tumblr.com)

“Harry’s been acting weird lately.”  
  
Zayn waits for Niall’s reaction, slightly lifting a brow when he shrugs. Niall arranges a row of four blank cards on the table between them, all colored light blue with yellow flowers. In Zayn’s hand is a corresponding card with an illustration of a roaring lion cub facing him, and Niall’s attention is focused on figuring out its matching counterpart to complete the round. It’s a memorization game made for young children, but Niall uses it when he needs a refresher course, and so far he’s gotten almost every single one of them correct.  
  
“Harry’s always weird, you know that,” Niall replies, bouncing in his seat when he finds the final card. “It’s no different than any other day.”  
  
“Yeah, I know, but I meant he’s acting weirder _than usual_ ,” Zayn emphasizes. Niall ignores the comment, but Zayn continues, “He tends to stare when we talk, did you notice that? And if we’re on a date, he’s always giving me this look, like I’ve pissed him off or something. Not to mention all the tasteless jokes he’s been telling me! And,” he looks over at a hibernating Harry in the living room, letting out a quiet sigh after, “he’s making it difficult when I spend the night. Like, we’ll be so close to doing something and he’ll just suddenly barge in with a million things to ask you.”  
  
Niall seems perplexed, but doesn’t seem the least bit surprised. “I’m sure he means nothing by it, he’s always been fond of you,” he reasons, keeping his head down to avoid Zayn’s concerned gaze. “He’s due for a software upgrade anyway, it’s probably nothing.”  
  
“Do you really think this is about his software?” Zayn retorts, sarcastic. “I understand he only takes orders from you, but he’s never treated me like I’m his arch nemesis! And every time you turn the other way, he’s always scanning me for something!”  
  
“Look, you know he downloads tons of information into his memory banks, maybe he managed to find a murder-mystery book and now he’s suspicious of everything. It happens!”  
  
“Niall, this isn’t a game of ‘Clue’! This has been going on for almost two weeks now and it’s getting out of hand! Could you at least acknowledge Harry might need some repairing?”  
  
A worried Niall rubs his face with his hands, running it through his hair after. Zayn’s noticed Niall has been worrying too much lately, the dark circles forming under his eyes a clear indicator of just how stressed he’s become. But it’s still no reason for him to keep avoiding the problem at hand.  
  
“Okay,” Niall says, guilty. “I’ll have someone take a look at him.”  
  
“Why did you say it like that?”  
  
“Like what?”  
  
“Like you don’t want to have Harry looked at?”  
  
“Because—” Niall glances at Harry, lips scrunched together, “—there’s nothing wrong with him,” he answers to Zayn’s dismay. “Can’t fix something that isn’t broken, right?”  
  
"He's been broken for days," Zayn retorts, but Niall's already in the kitchen making as much noise as possible, pretending he hadn't heard a single word.  
  
—  
  
“Hello, Zayn. You are six minutes ahead of schedule for your lunch date with Niall.”  
  
“Got us a reservation, figured we better head out early. You guys ready to go?”  
  
“We will be ready when we are ready.”  
  
“So that’s a no,” Zayn sighs. “Can I come in?”  
  
Harry blinks at him from the doorway, head tilted with an odd white glow from behind his eyes. He steps aside to let Zayn inside of the apartment, and stays close behind to Zayn’s irritation when they bump into each other.  
  
“Harry, you need to stop acting so suspicious of me, it’s getting really tiring,” Zayn firmly tells him. A quick flash of green shines into Zayn’s eyes, catching him off guard. “Damn it, what did you scan me for now!? Haven’t you done enough?”  
  
“Safety precautions,” Harry comments monotonously. “Zayn, you are displaying a slightly elevated percentage level of hostility. Your stress and anxiety levels are competing with each other as well. I believe your new occupation as head stock boy is a contributing factor.”  
  
“Thanks, but I didn’t need the physical.”  
  
“You seem exasperated,” Harry points out. “Would you like to hear a joke?”  
  
“Not really.”  
  
“May it be due to the fact that you have not ingested Niall’s semen in four days?”  
  
“Harry!” Zayn stomps his foot, hands clenched into fists. “That is enough from you, do you hear me? I don’t want to hear any more of that and I don’t want you scanning me again—not behind Niall’s back or when he’s in the room. Understood?”  
  
_Zayn, is that you?_ Niall calls out from his bedroom.  
  
“Yeah babe, I’m here,” Zayn answers, staring at the smug android in front of him. “Just waiting with Harry.”  
  
_Okay, I’ll be out in a minute!_  
  
Zayn waits a moment, then prods his finger over Harry’s chest. “You heard what I asked of you the first time,” he says through his teeth, “so don’t do it again.”  
  
Harry’s eyes dilate and flash three red rings, each of them briefly blinding Zayn. Seconds later, the rings change back to their normal green color, though Harry seems lost when he comes to his senses. The low whir of Harry’s chest changes his confused expression to a forced smile that creeps Zayn out.  
  
“You are not my priority, Zayn Malik. I do not follow commands from secondary users.”  
  
“Harry!” Niall shouts, now standing in the doorway of his bedroom. “Don’t talk to Zayn like that, what’s gotten into you lately?”  
  
Harry doesn’t apologize or acknowledge his actions, just backs away when Niall approaches Zayn to give him a kiss. The couple leave the apartment first, only to duck when Harry slams the door shut. He walks between them in a rush, making them stumble, and doesn’t stop when Niall calls for him.  
  
“It’s nothing, don’t worry,” Niall fakes a laugh. “I’m sure he’s just having a bad day.”  
  
Zayn tries not to roll his eyes. “Just like every other android.”  
  
—  
  
Despite Zayn’s efforts to curb Harry’s growing attitude problem, he still makes backhanded comments towards him, all of which Niall takes as banter. A few nights later, Zayn takes Niall out to dinner after work, and thinks Harry’s improving as he sits in silence with a pleasant expression, eyes shut with a soft glow behind them indicating his idle mode. The couple spend their time finally chatting without Harry’s constant glares, and overindulge in one too many slices of cheesecake for dessert before heading home.  
  
Back at Niall’s place, the couple undress quickly, sharing a heated kiss as soon as they’re under the covers. Zayn tries to stay quiet when he’s on top of Niall, biting his lip to muffle his moans. Niall’s hands grip Zayn’s narrow hips, rendering him powerless as he lets out his cries of pleasure. Zayn leans down for a kiss, Niall’s hips still thrusting upwards with sweat rolling down the temples of their foreheads. Just as Zayn pushes himself back up, he shivers at the sudden chill that enters the room, goosebumps forming all over his back and arms.  
  
“Niall, faster,” Zayn moans, “you feel so good.”  
  
Niall sinks his fingers into Zayn’s hips even harder, groaning loudly until he abruptly stops. “ _Harry?_ ”  
  
_System Alert—Intruder on Premises_  
  
“Harry!?” Zayn yells, climbing off of Niall. “Of all names, you say his!?”  
  
“Not like that!” Niall shouts, pointing over Zayn’s shoulder. He turns to find Harry approaching the bed with glowing red eyes with intermittent flashes of neon green, his chest giving off a loud growl that has the couple breaking apart. “You’re supposed to be charging! What are you doing!”  
  
“ _I heard a sound of distress_ ,” Harry dictates in a calm, but frighteningly distorted voice. “ _There is an intruder on the premises. I will apprehend them and bring you to safety._ ”  
  
“Safety? There’s no one here, it’s just me and Zayn! Get back outside!”  
  
Harry scans the room, the growling from his chest growing louder and louder. He locks eyes with Zayn and immediately stomps towards him. Zayn tries to make a break for it, but Harry is too quick, using only the strength of one hand to grab Zayn by the throat and lift him high into the air.  
  
“Harry, let him go!” Niall shrieks, rushing towards him. “You’re hurting Zayn! Put him down, do you hear me!? That is a direct command!”  
  
“ _Priority override. Strangulation command initiated,_ ” Harry growls, squeezing his hand even tighter. Zayn uses his fists and flails his legs to break from Harry’s hold, using what little breath he has to try and stay alive. “ _If the intruder persists, I will subdue him into a state of unconsciousness until the authorities have arrived._ ”  
  
“No! Stop it, you’ll kill him! Terminate retaliation command!”  
  
“ _Niall_ ,” Zayn gasps, “ _help—I can’t—breathe—_ ”  
  
Zayn can hear his heart beating its final rhythm, taking in a breath that may very well be his last one. Just as his vision goes blurry, he hears the sound of fabric ripping open, followed by a series of loud hisses and pops. Harry starts to convulse, his grip on Zayn’s neck loosens and he drops to his knees, violently coughing and gasping for air. Harry’s growls come to a quiet whine, eyes flickering red and white until he completely shuts off, falling dead to the floor.  
  
Zayn looks up, finding Niall with a slew of colored wires in his hands. The look on his face is that of shock and horror, the tears in his eyes welling up into streams that fall over his cheeks. He drops the wires and runs to Zayn, kissing him all over and apologizing profusely.  
  
“I’m so sorry,” he sobs, holding Zayn. “How could I have been so stupid to think nothing was wrong with Harry? He could have killed you and I’d be – I can’t lose you!”  
  
Zayn coughs and swallows hard, taking in a slow, but deep breath to regain his composure. “It’s not your fault, Niall,” he breathes in, heart pounding hard. “It's not your—”  
  
“You warned me and I didn’t listen,” Niall protests, casting a glance at the lifeless android beside them, “how could this not be my fault?”  
  
—  
  
**_To: Niall Horan_**  
**_From: Evans Robotics, Inc._**  
**_Subject: Service Android Repair and Reprogramming_**  
  
_Hello Mr. Horan,_  
  
_This letter is to let you know we have received your service android, ESA Model 202, Series 12, also known as ‘Harry’. Due to the state in which your model has arrived, immediate hardware repairs have been made as a safety precaution. A preliminary inspection of Model 202’s damage report shows internal software errors due to corrupted files in the model’s memory drives._  
  
_Standard repair completion is six days. Model 202 will take nine days, and it is required that the primary user is present in the last stages of reprogramming, as its unique software is coded to respond with voice recognition. Flight and accommodations to our laboratory in Bogdan Valley will be arranged at your convenience, free of charge with your lifetime warranty._  
  
_Further explanation of the repair process will be provided upon your arrival to our headquarters. If you have any questions beforehand, please do not hesitate to reply to this email or call my direct line during office hours. My team and I hope to meet you very soon._  
  
_Sincerely,_  
_Louis Tomlinson, Head of Engineering_  
  
—  
  
With five days off work plus a free flight and hotel, Zayn and Niall pack up as much as they can to the northern region of Bogdan Valley. The drive from the airport to the headquarters takes up to forty minutes, either side of the highway lined by rows and rows of farmland and vineyards. The place itself is hidden among a forest of pine trees, the four domed hangars easily seen once the couple have gone past the security checkpoint.  
  
As soon as Niall and Zayn receive the appropriate credentials, security escorts them to one of the hangars, their ears immediately met with the sounds of industrial machinery working on an assembly line of titanium endoskeletons. “It’s like an android farm in here,” Zayn utters quietly, mesmerized by the process before he catches up with Niall, holding his hand when they enter an elevator going hundreds of feet underground.  
  
The doors open to a much quieter part of the hangar. Rows of androids hang on conveyor belts, each machine barely making a noise above a whisper. The bright white lights that surround them are almost blinding, Zayn’s eyes nearly tearing up until the couple are taken into a moderately lit conference room. There, they finally meet Louis, alongside his partner Liam, whom Niall admits he thought would be older looking.  
  
Louis and Liam present the couple with 3D models and renderings of the repairs they’ve done to Harry’s hardware, most notably the wires Niall had pulled out to deactivate Harry. When questioned about the incident, Niall does not give a truthful answer, and Zayn holds his hand to keep him from breaking down in tears.  
  
Once their meeting is done, the partners take Niall and Zayn to their work space—an expansive white, circular room full of computer screens, machinery, and a group of six people working on endoskeletons of previous androids that line every corner of the walls. The group is excused, and Niall is overcome with emotion when Louis reveals a hibernating Harry strapped to a stretcher in the middle of the room.  
  
Dressed in matching grey sweatpants and a sweatshirt, Harry’s long curls are tied into a ponytail, revealing the open ports from the back of his neck with multi-colored wires attachments. The wires connect to the largest computer in the room, operated solely by Liam, its screen displaying lines and lines of codes that only he can decipher.  
  
“Could I talk to him?” Niall tries to inch closer to Harry, but Zayn tugs on his hand to keep him back. “Just one minute? Please?”  
  
“We can’t wake him at this time,” Liam answers. “It takes a full twenty-four hours to do his inspection scan, and he’s currently at the eleventh hour, so to disrupt it would mean to start all over again. However, you will be able to communicate with him as soon as the scan is verified.”  
  
Niall nods, frowning a little. “When can I come back?”  
  
“Same time tomorrow,” Louis replies. “We only require the primary user to be present, but you’re more than welcome to bring your secondary android.”  
  
“Secondary?” Niall looks around the room, confused. “What are you talking about?”  
  
“This gentleman next to you,” Louis points directly at Zayn. Niall’s jaw drops open and Louis begins to stutter, while Liam snickers behind his hand. “Is he not—oh, shit. I-I didn’t realize! It’s just, he’s very symmetrical and I assumed—”  
  
“Oh, come on! Seriously!?” Zayn throws his hands up in frustration. “Why does everyone think I’m an android!”  
  
The computer screen next to Harry flickers, causing Liam to jump. He sits at his desk to take a look at the problem, his eyes rapidly moving left to right to read the lines of code. “He’s laughing? Holy crap, he’s actually laughing!” Liam exclaims to everyone’s surprise. He waves Louis over and points the screen, both of them whispering in excitement.  
  
“What’s going on? Is Harry okay?” Zayn asks, looking at the coded screen.  
  
“This is amazing,” Liam holds his head in his hands, completely awestruck. “Harry’s consciousness managed to bypass the corrupted files, link itself into the computer’s software, and translate his voice into binary code! I’ve never seen anything like it before!”  
  
“Document it, document it!” Louis orders, shoving a tablet in Liam’s hands. “Those pompous dicks in logistics are gonna flip when they see this!”  
  
“What else is he saying? Can you tell?” Niall excitedly bounces on his feet.  
  
Liam leans in closer to the screen for a better look. His eyes widen and he casts a questionable glance at the couple, reciting, “ _Has Zayn fellated Niall this week?_ ”  
  
—  
  
The following day, Liam runs a series of communication tests with Niall. He’s asked to speak to Harry as if he were fully functioning, hoping that his translated consciousness will provide enough data for Liam and Louis to document for future use in their next series of service androids. Harry is seemingly aware of what is happening around him, though Niall cannot answer him when asked of how he got there without crying.  
  
Although Zayn stays by Niall’s side throughout, Louis pulls him aside into an adjacent room, revealing his own questionnaire to fully understand Harry’s unique programming. They mostly pertain to Harry’s personality and how he interacts in social settings, as well as how his services are used to aid Niall in his everyday activities. None of Zayn’s answers seem out of the ordinary until he casually mentions Harry’s mild obsession with sex, all of which leaves Louis more than lost and confused.  
  
“I don’t understand how he could be so preoccupied with human sexuality,” Louis says in shock. “Please tell me he doesn’t actually participate in intercourse with you or Niall, he is not equipped with the anatomically correct features for penetrative activities!”  
  
“No! God, nothing like that!” Zayn shudders. “I meant he takes a really high interest in making sure I keep Niall… _satisfied_ … for lack of a better word. Before he fully malfunctioned, he managed to figure out how long it had been since I swallowed Niall’s—”  
  
“Why don’t I stop you there,” Louis holds up a hand, forcing a smile. “I think I have all the information I need to pass along to Liam.”  
  
“Will he be able to fix Harry? Whatever it is that’s affected his programming?”  
  
“So far, we’ve isolated the problem area to one of the libraries stored in Harry’s memory drives. We’ve yet to pinpoint its exact location, considering the millions of exabytes he has in his system. I’d say there’s a ninety percent chance Liam will find it by tomorrow morning, so I wouldn’t worry just yet. He’s been doing this for years, trust me when I say he’s the best person for the job.”  
  
Zayn turns the window beside him, watching Niall speak to a still lifeless Harry on the stretcher. Niall holds Harry’s hand the entire time, the smile on his face the first sign of relief Zayn has seen in a long time.  
  
“Can I just say how glad I am that you came back for Harry?” Louis remarks, his voice soft. “About sixty percent of owners who send in their androids for repairs fail to follow up with me and end up spending even more money for a new one.”  
  
Zayn’s jaw drops. “But doesn’t the warranty guarantee all repairs are free? Why bother with getting another?”  
  
Louis shrugs. “I haven’t been able to answer that since I started working here years ago,” he answers, dumbfounded. “Call me a sap, but every single model I’ve built with Liam and our team is a masterpiece. Look at each one and you’ll find something unique about them, just like humans.”  
  
“So you’re their mother, basically,” Zayn jokes, making Louis laugh.  
  
“Of course I’m disappointed when one of my models come back unclaimed, but they always have a chance at a new life. All we have to do is refurbish the hardware, reconfigure their settings, and they’ll be on their way to helping someone who needs them the most.”  
  
“Did that happen to Harry, too?”  
  
_Hey, Louis?_ Liam’s voice rings through the intercom. The sound of Niall sobbing softly in the background alerts Zayn, which Liam blocks out with, _Something’s happened with Harry’s coding. You might want to take a look at this._  
  
—  
  
Back at the hotel, Zayn and Niall have a quiet dinner in their room. The only sound between them are the light scrapes of their utensils against the porcelain plates, and the random shifts in weight on their cushioned seats. Zayn wants so desperately to reach out and hold Niall’s hand, but he keeps his distance, opting to sit on the balcony as soon as he’s finished with his meal.  
  
Rather than pestering Niall with questions, Zayn sits on the edge of their king-sized bed and watches a bit of television at a low volume. He keeps an eye on Niall, taking the occasional glance to see if he’s doing okay. At one point, Niall slips into the room unnoticed, and accidentally frightens Zayn when he dips into the bed.  
  
“Sorry,” Niall whispers, carefully crawling behind Zayn. “I really need to talk to you.”  
  
“Of course.” Zayn adjusts his body to face Niall, who rests his head on Zayn’s shoulder. After a moment, Niall tips his head up and his nose brushes against Zayn’s cheek, leaning in for both of them to share a soft kiss. “What did you want to talk about?”  
  
“It’s Harry,” Niall murmurs. “During one of Liam’s tests, I told him about the night he attacked you and… he didn’t take it too well. His programming started to freak out and there were things showing up on the screens that Liam couldn’t record fast enough. But the codes he managed to translate were – they – ” Niall pauses, nearly choking up, “Liam said it was the equivalent of Harry crying.”  
  
Zayn is taken aback. Niall takes a deep breath, continuing, “He kept saying he wasn’t programmed to bring you or myself to any harm, even if he was provoked. He kept apologizing and apologizing, and even though I forgave him, he – Zayn, he wants me to –”  
  
Niall becomes still, keeping his eyes closed until Zayn softly asks, “What does he want?”  
  
“Harry wants me to decommission him. He wants his memory completely wiped and destroyed!”  
  
“What!? He can’t be serious!”  
  
“He said he can’t be of service to me anymore if he can’t control his programming, that it would be better if I got a different android who wouldn’t disobey my commands. He’s scared he’ll hurt us again if he stays with me, but I can’t do it! I don’t want to lose him, I just can't!”  
  
Niall cries behind his hands and Zayn is in complete shock. He’s at a loss for words, the room fast turning into a blur as tears well up in his eyes. A stream falls down his cheek and he looks at Niall trembling beside him, finally coming back to reality when he wraps his arms around him. They hold each other close, never letting go until Niall nuzzles his nose against Zayn’s and presses their lips together in a comforting kiss.  
  
“All those times you asked me to get Harry checked, I didn’t do it ‘cause I was scared he’d be taken away from me,” Niall confesses. “Guess the joke’s on me if he’s the one begging to be deactivated.”  
  
“Don’t talk like that, you know it’s not your fault,” Zayn sternly tells him. “His reprogramming stage is almost complete, right? Liam will figure out what’s wrong and he’ll make Harry even better than ever! We didn’t come all this way to just give up on him so easily.”  
  
“I wish I knew what to do to change his mind,” Niall hangs his head, biting on his bottom lip. “I don’t want them to take him away, Zayn. I can’t bear the thought of forgetting him after everything we’ve done together. You and Harry are the reason my memory’s gotten better and to lose him – I can’t go through with it. I just want it to be the three of us, always.”  
  
Zayn rests their foreheads together, his thumb softly stroking Niall’s cheek. “We’ll get through this, Niall. I promise. No matter what happens to Harry, you’ll still have me. I know I might not have all the latest software, and I’ll probably forget certain things, but I don’t need it to say that I’ll always be here for you. And I don’t need any commands to tell you how much I love you.”  
  
Niall has stars in his eyes when he looks up at Zayn, kissing him with the softest touch. “Thank you,” he whispers, “thank you for staying.”  
  
Zayn kisses him one more time. ”I’m not going anywhere without you.”  
  
—  
  
**New Voicemail: 4:46 A.M.**  
  
_Hey-o, this is Liam from Evans Robotics! Er, sorry for calling so early, but I’m leaving this message to say I’ve found the coding error in Harry’s programming. It was a tricky bastard to find, but rest assured, every trace of it has been eradicated and we are a day ahead of his completion schedule. A success, if I say so myself! And on the plus side, you’ll be able to take Harry home by the end of the day! So, have a great morning, and I’ll see you in a couple of hours._  
  
_Oh, by the way, were you aware Harry has a memory bank full of pornographic films? I found several terabytes of them, mostly high definition movies with soft lighting and beautiful actors. Very sensual and romantic, the cinematography is an absolute dream, the production quality is absolutely amazing—oh, what am I saying! Louis is gonna kill me… Bye now!_  
  
—  
  
Niall and Zayn’s return to the laboratory is highly anticipated. The work space is pristine, nearly every trace of the endoskeletons and machinery that lined the room were now gone. The only thing left in the room is Harry lying upright in the stretcher, and the large computer sitting beside him. The couple watch Liam and Louis carefully disconnect all of the plugs and wires from Harry’s body, their hands holding on tight in excitement.  
  
“He’s ready,” Louis nods, letting Liam take over.  
  
Liam approaches the couple and places a small, glowing device in the palm of Niall’s hand. “Harry’s upgraded memory card to match all the new hardware inside of him,” he states with pride. “Just like the first time you programmed him, all you have to do is insert that into his memory drive and he’s good to go.”  
  
Niall stares at the card. His hand starts to tremble and he looks up at Zayn in worry, then back at Liam. “What if… what if he boots up and he doesn’t remember me?”  
  
“He will,” Liam answers immediately. “I understand you’re worried about what he said the other day, but please believe me, Niall. Even with all his new upgrades, Harry _will_ remember you.”  
  
Zayn gently rubs the small of Niall’s back, encouraging him to insert the card. Louis comes up from behind and lifts a portion of Harry’s hair, revealing the memory drive slot under his ear. Zayn takes a deep breath as Niall walks ahead, stopping just a few feet away as soon as he’s in front of Harry. Niall takes a moment to compose himself, and reaches out for Zayn to stand beside him.  
  
“I’m scared,” Niall whispers, but Zayn kisses his cheek, telling him, “You can do this. It’s going to be okay, I promise.”  
  
Niall bites his lower lip and nods. He raises his hand and stands on his tip toes to insert the card, backing away as soon as the slot closes, awaiting Harry’s return. The soft whir from Harry’s chest goes off, fingers twitching while he carefully stretches his neck from side to side. His eyes slowly flutter open, the light green iris of his eye dilating and constricting in milliseconds to reconfigure his settings. The couple hold their breaths, and a smile forms on Harry’s face, immediately recognizing who’s standing in front of him.  
  
_Niall! Zayn! How happy I am to see you again!_  
  
+++  
  
Zayn and Niall take a well deserved nap as soon as they come home, leaving Harry to recharge and hibernate in the living room. Half an hour later, Niall is in the shower, and Zayn heads to the kitchen to find Harry preparing a full three-course dinner for the rested couple.  
  
“Hey, you didn’t have to do that,” Zayn lightly rubs Harry’s shoulder, his stomach grumbling when he sees the plate of sliced roast beef and steamed vegetables. “But it’s not so bad if you’ve cooked all of this,” he laughs.  
  
Zayn watches as Harry sets the dining table, eyebrows raised when Harry tells him, “Zayn, I greatly apologize for my behavior these past few weeks. It was despicable of me to have acted the way I did, especially to someone Niall cares for so deeply. My programming knew I was not myself, and yet—”  
  
“It’s okay, Harry,” Zayn replies, calm. “I hope you understand that I might be a little wary of you, though.”  
  
Harry nods. “It will take time, I am sure. But for as long as I serve Niall, I vow it will never happen again.” Zayn opens his arms to hug Harry, laughing softly at the sound of a low purr from Harry’s chest. “Have I been forgiven?”  
  
“Somewhat,” Zayn chuckles. “Would you like to hear a joke?”  
  
“Why, I love jokes!” Harry gasps, his feet shifting around in excitement.  
  
“All right. This is an old one, but it’s my favorite.” Harry clasps his hands together, his chest whirring loudly. “What does a baby computer call its father?” Zayn waits a beat, then answers, “Data.”  
  
Harry’s happy expression remains frozen until he bursts out laughing. “Data as in ‘ _da-da_ ’! Bravo, Zayn! You make for an excellent comedian! A quick search through my database shows a small amount of open auditions in comedy clubs. Shall I make an appointment for you?”  
  
Zayn lets out a laugh, then scratches the back of Harry’s head. “Nah, I couldn’t handle the hecklers. But we do plenty making Niall laugh, right?”  
  
“Someone say my name?” Niall asks, entering the room. He’s overjoyed to find Harry and Zayn getting along, giving each of them a kiss on the cheek. He gasps at the feast on the table, exclaiming, “Harry, I can’t believe you made all of this, it looks too good to eat!”  
  
“Your sustenance levels are low, which shall be corrected momentarily. Please sit,” Harry announces, pulling out two seats for the couple. “Shall I start on dessert while you eat? I believe we have enough ingredients for an ice cream sundae.”  
  
Niall looks at Zayn for an answer, who only shrugs. “Maybe hold off ‘til we’re done, yeah? That way you won’t waste your time if we get too full.”  
  
“Yes, Niall.” Harry settles into his own seat, pouring a glass of water for both Niall and Zayn. “Will you two be celebrating after dinner? I have detected equally high endorphin levels from both of you.”  
  
“It’s ‘cause you’re home,” Niall answers fondly, “we’ve been lonely here without you.”  
  
“Indeed, but perhaps I did not make myself clear.”  
  
“How do you mean?” Zayn asks, drinking from his glass.  
  
“According to Niall's health scan, it has been fourteen days since he participated in any cardiovascular activities. The exercise would do Niall's heart well, and I strongly suggest a celebratory act of fellatio to increase his blood flow.”  
  
Zayn spits out his water, and Niall covers his mouth, laughing behind his hand. “Eight days,” Zayn coughs, “eight days of repair and they couldn’t reprogram you to be _less_ obsessed with sex?”  
  
“You would hardly recognize me, would you not? It is simply part of my programming charm.”  
  
Zayn rolls his eyes with a laugh. “All right, if you _strongly_ suggest it, then you're not allowed to interrupt us while it's happening." Harry perks up, grinning wide. "S'been a while since Niall and I did something fun after hours anyway.”  
  
Niall shakes his head, smiling with reddened cheeks. “Honestly, Zayn. Dinner first, _then_ celebratory acts of fellatio. Got it?”  
  
The couple share a kiss and Harry’s chest purrs loudly. “How I have missed this,” he sighs happily. “It is good to be home.”


End file.
